Bordeaux Bargains #2! (Plus: how to figure out what grapes are in a Bordeaux wine)

Show Notes

Episode 136: Bordeaux Bargains #2!  00:00

Hello! And welcome to The Wine Pair Podcast. I’m Joe, your sommelier of reasonably priced wine, and this is my wife and my wine pairing partner in crime, Carmela. And we are The Wine Pair! 

If you are new to our podcast, here is a quick orientation! Each week, we explore a different wine varietal or blend —like Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc or Bordeaux — and dive into what makes it unique, special,and worth learning about. Our goal is to help you expand your wine knowledge in a fun way that normal people can understand. We also taste and review 2-3 wines under $20 each, and share our scores and recommendations to help you find great wines without breaking the bank. Thank you so much for being here and having some laughs and learning with us. And, we are proud to say that Decanter Magazine calls us fun, irreverent, chatty, and entertaining.

Carmela, it has been a minute, but we are back with our second Bordeaux Bargains episode where we explore reasonably priced Bordeaux wines from one of the most expensive and revered wine regions in the world to see if we can find any that are good enough to make it onto our wine list. 

As a reminder, for those of you who may have forgotten, or never knew, Bordeaux is a region in France - so Bordeaux wines can only come from Bordeaux - and the red wines there, and we are focusing on the red wines today, are generally a blend of what are called the Noble Grapes, which we talked about in our previous Bordeaux Bargain episode and we did a minisode about, but just in case you missed those or just plain forgot what the hell we said, the Noble Grapes are generally considered to be Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. 

Bordeaux red wines are indeed generally blends, but understanding what exactly the grape blend is can be a little tricky, and we are going to talk a bit about that today, but first I want to talk about why I think Bordeaux blends are superior to a straight Cabernet Sauvignon, which again is one of the common blending grapes in a Bordeaux, but not always - because there are some Bordeaux wines that are just Merlot, for instance - and we have one of those today. 

I was actually surprised to find that I am starting to like Bordeaux wines because I generally just dislike Cabernet Sauvignon. And sometimes that feels lonely because every time you go out to a restaurant or bar, if they have one red wine on the menu, it is a Cab. In fact, if they say “red wine” I can basically guarantee it is a Cab. I am not sure that people even know there is anything else!

The main reason I dislike a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon is the same reason why some people love it - especially when it is young it can be super tannic - like sucking on a black tea bag - and overly extracted - meaning they come across as super ripe fruit bombs with no subtlety. I also find that they are often very hot or taste very high in alcohol, and really, really oaky, like all you can taste is wood. A lot of Cab is grown in California, and because California has a hot climate, Cabs tend to go to their extreme ends. These, our friends, are the very definition of what we call punch-you-in-the-face wines. 

And it is for these very reasons that I gravitate away from California style Cabernets, and, if I have to have one, towards Bordeaux blends. Because in Bordeaux, the wine is more subtle, more balanced, less punch-you-in-the-face - because they are blended, and because Bordeaux is just not as hot of an area as California. It’s like the California winemakers turn everything up to 11, if you get that reference. Here is my bad analogy, you want a bad analogy - would you say, Carmela, that I like hamburgers - in fact, I love hamburgers, but the more shit they put on the hamburger, the less I start to like them. Because once a hamburger has two kinds of cheese and thousand island dressing and avocado and bacon jam and jalapenos and onion straws and ketchup and mayo and tomatoes and pickles and a second patty, and truffle oil,  it sort of becomes just an overwhelming mess. 

So, what we are here to do today is to help you see that the super oaky fill-up-your mouth with wood and smoke and overripe grape juice Cabernet Sauvignon may not be the best expression of the wine. That maybe the best expression of Cabernet Sauvignon is not as a varietal, but as part of a carefully crafted blend. That if you try a well blended and balanced Bordeaux wine, you may just find that there are nuances to the wine that are pleasant, subtle, and to be savored. Even in an inexpensive bottle. 

So, today, we have two reasonably priced Bordeaux blends to try and rate, and we are going to spend some time helping to demystify Bordeaux wines a bit to help you understand what grapes  might actually be in the blend because, frankly, that is the most confusing part of the whole thing. . . 

But first . . . we have to do our shameless plug.

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And we want to make content you care about and you like, so send us a note and tell us what wines you want us to try and do episodes about, or just tell us what you think about the show and what your are thinking. This month in our newsletter that is coming out (and you can always email me if you don’t get it), we are doing a shout out to all of our listeners who have been reaching out. We love it! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and stories and showing you care!

And, as we do every week, we’ll tell you someone we think you should recommend The Wine Pair Podcast to so we can keep growing listeners. This week, we want you to recommend us to anyone who claims they love Cabernet Sauvignon but has never had a Bordeaux.


ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/cabernet-sauvignon-worst-first-grape/ 

Topic: How the F Do I Know What Is In My Bordeaux Blend? 10:29

Let’s talk a little bit about how the F you figure out what is in your Bordeaux wine. In a future episode, we’ll talk about what the first through fifth growths are and why that matters, often referred to a Crus, but that is for another time. 

We mentioned this in our previous Bordeaux episode, but In Bordeaux, there is a large river that runs through the region, and wines are often classified by how they are divided between the left bank and right bank of the river - depending on what side of the river they are on. Seems obvious, but stay with me. 

Because the fact that they are on the right or left bank actually makes them pretty different, for a couple of reasons. 

First, right bank red wines are more Merlot focused, with Merlot generally making up more than 60% of the grapes on that side of the river and blended with Cabernet Franc, while Left Bank red wines are more Cabernet Sauvignon heavy, and then have blends of usually several of the other Noble Grapes. 

Unfortunately, you are not going to be able to find the specific wine blend on the wine label. What you will find, however, is the area where the wine is from, and that is how you will be able to tell most of the time. You will probably want to refer to our show notes and some of the articles we have links to learn more because, frankly, you just kind of have to memorize this stuff. 

On the Left Bank of Bordeaux are the areas of  

• Médoc
• Haut-Médoc
• Listrac-Médoc
• Moulis-en-Médoc
• Pessac-Léognan
• Graves
• Sauternes
• Barsac

Within Médoc itself are some famous areas, namely: Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, and Margaux. 

On the Right Bank are the areas of 

• Saint-Emilion 
• Pomerol
• Canson-Fronsac
• Côtes de Blaye
• Côtes de Bourg
• Côtes de Bordeaux
• Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
• Fronsac

Now repeat those back to me.

So, here are some thoughts for you all. If you like Cabernet, you owe it to yourself to try Left Bank Bordeaux wines just so you can understand the roots of the wine. Again, it is very unusual to find a French wine that is just Cabernet Sauvignon. French wine makers just don’t really do it. The other is that the soils on the Left Bank are said to be gravelly, which is supposed to be ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. 

You are just going to get a different experience from drinking a wine when it comes from a different area, with different climate, and different soil. You may find you don’t like it as much, but I think you will find that you can understand it and appreciate it much better if you try it and contemplate it. I think the best way to do it is to find a good California Cab and a good Left Bank Bordeaux and drink them side by side, and try them with food, too. It’s just the best way to learn about and appreciate wines. 

And, if you don’t like Cabernet, I would still suggest the same thing. So you can learn

If you are a Merlot fan, again same thing - try a California or Washington Merlot and taste it side by side with a Right Bank wine, which is going to be Merlot focused. The Right Bank has more clay in its soil, and that is said to be a great home for Merlot. 

The other thing I would note is that if you prefer more muscular and higher tannin wine, you will probably appreciate Left Bank Bordeaux wines, and if you like smoother, softer, and more supple wines, try Right Bank Bordeaux wines. Depending on your palate, if you like getting punched in the face with your wine - go for Left Bank Wines - but you will still find them different from California wines. And if you like to be socked with a feather pillow with your wines, try Right Bank Bordeaux. 

You may find these wines a little cost prohibitive, which is why we are doing these Bordeaux Bargain episodes. We are trying to help you find good representations of these wines in a price range that is reasonable. Today, we have one Left Bank wine that is about 50/50 Cabernet and Merlot blend, and we have a Right Bank wine that is 100% Merlot, so it will be a good comparison to see if we can tell the difference. 

And remember, our palette may be different from yours - we tend to like Merlot over Cabernet Sauvignon and gravitate toward more subtle wines, and so you may find that your palette is different, and this is just fine, because you can use our tasting as a way for you to gauge if you will like a wine, even if you disagree with us. And we love that!

And, as I mentioned, in future Bordeaux Bargain episodes, we’ll talk about things like Cru designations and what first and second growth means, but for now,I think it’s time to learn a little more about the specific wines we are drinking today. Whaddya say?

ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/a-primer-to-bordeaux-wine/ 
• https://www.bordeauxwinetrails.com/what-is-bordeaux-wine/ 
• https://blog.vindome.net/left-bank-vs-right-bank-bordeaux-the-differences/#:~:text=Two%20smaller%20rivers%2C%20the%20Dordogne,some%20spectacular%20wines%2C%20particularly%20whites. 
• https://monarch.wine/left-bank-bordeaux-vs-right-bank-bordeaux-whats-the-difference/ 
• https://www.decanter.com/learn/left-right-bank-bordeaux-difference-436548/ 

Bargain Bordeaux Wines We Chose for This Episode 16:57

Usually, the wines we use in our podcast are under $20, but one of these wines is just a touch over $20, and I just think we are going to have to deal with that from now on, especially when looking for wines in more expensive areas like Bordeaux. We will try and seek out good wines under $20 when we can, but every once in a while, and hopefully it is only every once in a while, we will choose wines that are close to, but just over, $20. 

And, both of the wines should be relatively easy to find because I bought one of them on wine.com and one of them at Costco. So, now, I mention getting one of these at Costco for a specific reason. First, I bought two Bordeaux blends on wine.com - or so I thought. It turns out one of the wines is actually from a town called Bergerac which is close to, but technically not part of Bordeaux - so I was a little frustrated knowing that I really shouldn’t have it in this episode, so I was going to Costco, and I thought - I am going to look for an inexpensive Bordeaux at Costco because I bet they have one, and sure enough, they did.

I will save the Bergerac for an episode later when we do a review of Bordeaux style blends from different parts of the world, like a Meritage.

But back to our wines. The first wine is our Right Bank wine and it is called Château Bonesperance and we have the 2021 vintage. This wine is not a blend, but rather is 100% Merlot, which, again, is not totally typical, but not unusual for a Right Bank Bordeaux, and again, one of the reasons why it can be tricky to understand Bordeaux unless you put some time into it. However, I will say that the wine bottle does say Merlot on it, so they are making it easy on us.

I could not find out a ton about this wine, however, here are a few fun facts - it is located in an area called Cabara en Gironde and they focus on Merlot based wines because of their clay based soils. They evidently use traditional winemaking techniques and slow fermentation - which I had to look up. 

Evidently, many winemakers prefer slow fermentation because it is supposed to help the wine hold on to its natural aromas and flavors better. There are a number of things that can slow down fermentation, but a couple of key ones are lowering the temperature of the wine during fermentation and how much alcohol the yeast can tolerate vs. the amount of sugar in the juice. I have a link in our show notes that goes into more detail because we could spend a while just on that. 

Also, this producer has been making wine for more than 200 years, and Wilfrend Wong from wine.com gave this wine a 90 rating. So there you go.

The second wine we are going to be drinking tonight is the one I got at Costco, and it is the Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan from the 2019 vintage, and it comes from the Left Bank in the Graves region of Bordeaux. This wine has gotten a lot of accolades including 93 ratings from Wine Spectator, Vinous, Jeb Dunnuck, and the Wine Advocate, and high ratings from other reviewers like the Decanter and sucky James Suckling. 

This one is an interesting blend of 50% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc, so rather than being super Cabernet heavy, it is pretty balanced.

I was able to find a tech sheet which I have put a link to in the show notes, but it is a little anemic and a bit confusing - it looks like they age in in new oak barrels (they say 35%) on the lees for 12 months - I am not sure if the 35% refers to how much of the wine ages in oak, or if 35% of the oak is new. Whatever. We’re still going to drink it. 

So, with that - let’s get to drinking! We’ll take a quick break and be right back. And, if you have a Bordeaux, and Bordeaux style blend, a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot, then for God’s sake, drink along with us! Then you won’t mind so much that we are juvenile!


ARTICLES and LINKS

• https://www.mtouton.com/products/france/bordeaux/14594-2021/chateau-bonesperance 
• https://winemakersacademy.com/controlling-wine-fermentation-speeds/
• https://www.saratogawine.com/product/clos-marsalette-bordeaux-2019-750ml/?srsltid=AfmBOorOUk55JaJ8TX1RxBUEqfJu3WgiaglcHPfccEVcNb5YVYV-8kW2#tab-rnr 
• https://www.neipperg.com/medias/fichiers/ANGLAIS/Marsalette-rouge/FP%20MARSALETTE%20ROUGE%202019%20GB.pdf 

2021 Château Bonesperance, 2019 Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan Wine Tasting, Pairing, and Review 22:26

Wine: Château Bonesperance (Click here to find this wine on wine.com. We may receive compensation if you purchase)
Region: France, Bordeaux
Year: 2021
Price: $16.99
Retailer: wine.com
Alcohol: 12%
Grapes: 100% Merlot
Professional Rating: WW 90

What we tasted and smelled in this Château Bonesperance:

• On the nose: Cherry, wood, smoke, matchstick, clay, dirt, fruity, herb and pine tree on the swirl, hot - probably young
• In the mouth: Hot,clay, rock, tart cherry, a bit astringent, a lot of tannin, dark chocolate, black pepper - too young

Food to pair with this Château Bonesperance: Red meat, poultry, pork tenderloin, stew, a wine for autumn, versatile with food, a cocktail wine
 
As a reminder on our rating scale, we rate on a scale of 1-10, where 7 and above means that we would buy it, and 4 and below means that we are likely to pour it down the sink, and a 5 or 6 means we are likely to drink it and finish it, but we are probably not going to buy it. 

Château Bonesperance Wine Rating: 

• Joe: 7/10
• Carmela: 6/10

Wine: Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan (Click here to find this wine on wine.com. Note this is a newer vintage. We may be compensated if you purchase)
Region: France, Bordeaux
Year: 2019
Price: $22.99
Retailer: Costco
Alcohol: 14.5%
Grapes: 50% Merlot, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Cabernet Franc
Professional Rating: JD 93, WS 93, V 93, WA 93, D 92

What we tasted and smelled in this Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan:

• On the nose: Vegetable, sweet tomato, earth, rich black fruit, blackberry, black plum, wood, smoke, leather, asparagus on the swirl, grapey
• In the mouth: Better taste than smell, super tannic, juicy, jammy, good mouthfeel, the hallmarks of a Cabernet Sauvignon but smoothed out by the Merlot, rhubarb, strawberry, pepper, black currant

Food to pair with this Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan: Red meat, medium rare Filet Mignon, ribs, barbecue

Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan Wine Rating: 

• Joe: 8/10
• Carmela: 7/10

Which one of these are you finishing tonight?

• Carmela: Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan
• Joe: Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan

Taste profiles expected from Red Bordeaux Wine 34:47

• General 
  • Wine Folly - Left Bank (Cabernet Blends): lots of tannin, snappy acidity and flavors of blackberry and cassis, leather, smoke, toast, and herbal notes.
  • Wine Folly - Right Bank (Merlot focused): Silkier wines with age-ability, these have softer and smoother tannins with ripe fruit flavors, hints of chocolate, and meatiness
• Château Bonesperance
  • Winery: This is an effortlessly enjoyable Bordeaux to relish for its berry fruits. It opens with ruby and purple reflections and an inviting nose mixing red fruits. The palate is fresh and balanced with lively plums, red cherry, and subtle warm spice notes.
  • WW: This wine shows aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, hints of cassis, and savory spicy notes.
• Clos Marsalette Pessac-Léognan
  • JD: has a ripe, sexy, medium to full-bodied style as well as classic Graves-like aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, damp earth, and chocolate. It certainly has an herbal edge, yet the fruit is pure and sweet (not residual sugar), it has ripe tannins, a layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. Count me as a fan. Drink this puppy any time over the coming two decades.
  • WS: Features the lush cassis, mulled plum and boysenberry compote profile of the vintage, along with a fresh mineral streak as well as juniper and savory hints that give it some distinction. Alluring but on the languid side,
  • V: Black cherry, plum, chocolate, spice and licorice flesh out in this gorgeous, racy Pessac-Léognan

Outro and how to find The Wine Pair Podcast 37:14

Ok, so, Carmela, it’s time for us to go, but before we do, we want to thank you very much for listening to us - and if you haven’t done so yet, now would be the perfect time to follow or subscribe to our podcast and also a fantastic time to leave us a nice rating and review on our website or Apple podcasts or other podcast service - and it is an awesome and free way to support us and help us grow listeners.

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Alright, with that, we are going to sign off, so thanks again, and we will see you next time. And, as we say, life is short, so stop drinking shitty wine.

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